I've owned a NAS90 ST, and I liked the truck. Now then.... I didn't want to comment on anyone's for sale ad out of respect, and I understand the market drives the values, but the prices some are asking for NAS90s these days are nuts. There.. I said it. I get it, anyone can "ask" anything for their truck, and more power to them if they get it. But.... I've also owned a 130 TD5, and there is no comparison. My 90 was very nice, rust free from a life in Vegas, 80k miles, and you could eat off of the engine bay, firewall, etc. I paid $27.5k a couple of years ago for it, and sold it for the same to get the 130.

One part of me feels like an idiot, the other feels as though these prices are just getting out of control. This is just my opinion, and everyone has one. Mine's not necessarily a correct thought, but man... For $70k-$80k, a 90 of any type is my last choice. Again... My opinion, and I know they're great/unique trucks. Not a hater, as I'm happy for the sellers for getting what they can, but the novelty has taken over.

I think the bubble is about to burst... Just my thoughts on the matter.

Haha, do you own one or want one?

Prices are just that, a starting point. Although I think the values have increased, the last Defender rolling off the line is a majority of this latest rise imo. After that was all over the place a couple months back, I've had more people actually know what I was driving when inquiring about it.

Asking prices will likely increase as time goes on. For gods sake a new Tahoe is 75k now, everything is going up.

^^^ I've never worried or made a goal out of making money on toys, I go to work everyday to make that happen. I also never lose sleep over not selling my rovers for more than I did, I'd rather avoid the "flipper" rep. I'm just in awe of what these trucks are being listed for, that's all. I also mean no ill intent to the large crowd of NAS90 owners here. They're great trucks, but I've owned a bunch of vehicles on my 38 1/2 years, and the novelty value of these trucks has gone berserk. I wonder if many of the buyers paying top value have actually owned other rovers prior to paying such?

------ Follow up post added May 3rd, 2016 10:52 PM ------

Quote:

Originally Posted by rankar

nas' will probably drop out of the wheelin scene. still looking for my 110 man...

This is where I am. What I do regret is not buying Jackie Treehorn's 110.

I don't think NAS prices will drop at all. I don't own one, probably never will (barring lottery winnings) but if I did have the financial wherewithal I would own the highly sought after white SW.

I have a good friend who is into the high end classic/muscle car restoration business and as he tells it the cars that bring a premium are tied to the age group that is currently at their peak earning years/early retirement years. That is the baby boom generation and they grew with 70's muscle cars. Pick up trucks have been making a surge in value as well.

The WW2 generation that bought Model T's and such are no longer buying and in fact dying off at a good clip and prices reflect that. Same thing with early American antiques, prices have tumbled. I don't wish I had my dad's old 1935 Ford Coup, I just don't.

I think the demographic that is behind the recent run up of Defender prices (esp NAS) are late Boomers and Gen Xers. And we will be around for awhile spending money. I also don't believe the millennials look at a Defender and not have a connection to it, they do! In twenty plus years when I am pushing into my 70's (ouch!) I am pretty sure my Defender will still be pretty damn cool when I'm out and about in it with the grand kids. I also think the numbered NAS models will still hold (and increase) their value relative to today.

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You can't polish a turd but you can roll it in glitter - eBay.uk ad for Freelander.

I bought my 97 in 2006 from a Santa Monica dealer for 37k and sold it after a couple of years for the same price to a nice guy in LA. It has been all over Ebay from various dealers as high as $85k (asking/Buy It Now)

Then when I wanted a manual ST to enjoy I was able to find one mid 20s but I put a lot of work into that one and sold it last year for $30k. What irritated me the most was the guy that bought it to flip it when he gave me a sob story about how he had been looking for a nice daily driver for himself, bla bla bla. I really believed him so shame on me. It was on Craigslist a week later for $10k more.

I regret selling it but what can you do. I think that as the 25 year examples continue to come in, each year just a little newer (in LR years) more and more nice examples will surface some original or modified and the 90s can keep climbing... I'll just pick up a ROW 110, modify it as I please and wont miss the NAS one bit.

I was just watching the Doug Demuro Defender video on YouTube and just laughing the whole time. We are all a bit Rover mad.

Kudos to the honest folk that import honest Rovers to help us US enthusiasts.

It is not like I am going to sell mine again. I sold it because I had to and got it back thanks to some nice D90 source people stepping back and telling the guy I sold it to to keep a fire extinguisher in it and the next guy knowing who I was.

I'd suggest any vehicle that projects an "image" that the owner is doing something fun in their life is skyrocketing now... that a Microbus just sold for $150k is illustrative of this point. But, so is the price for a "Wagonmaster" Grand Wagoneer. Or an FJ40. Or any other widget that you can find in the background of the monthly mail-order catalogs.

It's a little different these days than past collector booms. I don't recall private investment groups gobbling up any particular make/model the way they have in the last 3 years. Sure, Ferraris are booming like they did in the 80s... but what about that $200,000 E30 M3? Those kinds of stratospheric climbs - 600% in 2 years - affects everything that is regarded as "special." And to reiterate the point made by Raub, just look at the way muscle cars shot up in the last 5 years - there's no doubt that trend was the result of a demographic getting to a point where they could afford to spend big money on something they couldn't dream of buying when new.

The thing with Land Rovers, at least, is that there are very similar models that are still attainable... I've seen several ex-MOD 90s for $10k, which is a pretty reasonable price to pay for a reliable wheeler. I agree that an NAS is going to be off to the side value-wise, not unlike any air-cooled 911 with a "turbo" badge.

Collectible cars are ART nowadays. Nothing more. It doesn't matter if YOU think it's not "worth it". The market is the market. A nice NAS Defender needs to do nothing more than sit in a glass case in some guys living room.

A collection of Andy Warhol posters I recently looked at in a gallery were once worthless. I could have bought them 10 years ago for $80K. Now they can be had for $500K.

There isn't much collectible stuff being made anymore. Get it while you can.

NAS prices will continue to increase over time because if a guy wants a truck to use on a daily basis and hasn't the time or patience to spend all weekend keeping it on the road, he is better off getting a NAS.

------ Follow up post added May 4th, 2016 12:04 PM ------

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason1st

Collectible cars are ART nowadays. Nothing more. It doesn't matter if YOU think it's not "worth it". The market is the market. A nice NAS Defender needs to do nothing more than sit in a glass case in some guys living room.

A collection of Andy Warhol posters I recently looked at in a gallery were once worthless. I could have bought them 10 years ago for $80K. Now they can be had for $500K.

There isn't much collectible stuff being made anymore. Get it while you can.

The overwhelming majority of NAS Defenders are not held as collectibles and probably will not be for a long time. IMO these are unique in that they are being used and not sitting in a climate controlled box.

I used all my baseball cards to make noise in my spokes. My brother just sold his- Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and many others for considerable $$.

I paid $5400 for a new 455 HO Trans Am, a year later a fella wanted to trade his 427 Cobra for my car and me pay $5k to boot- ummm, whoops!! Of course the Cobras sat for 2 years on the sales floor much like Defenders.

I have built and wheeled these Defenders for decades- would I trade the memories and friends made to have my new '94 or '97 now? Not likely. At this end of the spectrum the reality cars/money/etc come and go, but the experiences are priceless. However, should you get enjoyment form walking in the garage and seeing it everyday and fantasize about traveling the globe, so be it!

Lastly, my custom paint & leather to sample 911 Turbo from '89 would be sweet to just sit in and play videos of what we did together!! Ah, the memories!! But most of those memories come from solo one races and hill climbs and, well you get it -or not, at this point...

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